


Desert Mornings

by Gypsymoon77



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Awkward Carlos, Drabble, Fluff, POV Carlos (Welcome to Night Vale), Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-01
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-15 18:44:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2239386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gypsymoon77/pseuds/Gypsymoon77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Desert mornings were beautiful, even in a dangerous little burg like Night Vale.</p><p>A fluffy, pre-relationship drabble involving Carlos and Cecil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Desert Mornings

Desert mornings were beautiful, even in a dangerous little burg like Night Vale. The last stars were fading from sight and the eastern horizon was turning a brilliant shade of crimson. Carlos sighed contentedly from his seat on the blanket he had spread out in the shared parking lot behind the laboratory and Rico's. Normally, he would have had to go out into the wastelands for the view, but last night after dusk he had just happened to glance out his window and realized that not only that the stars were freakishly bright, they were also completely different. None of the constellations had matched the known ones in either the Northern or Southern Hemispheres. While astronomy was not quite his thing, Carlos hadn't even attempted to resist the urge to set up his old telescope and chart out the night sky.

Now he stifled a yawn as he watched the ever brightening sky, the east turning an unnatural turquoise with ochre streaks, as he pondered exactly why the stars were so different last night. Had there been a rift in time and space that allowed them to momentarily look out on a different part of the universe? Or a different universe all together? Carlos couldn't help the cheesy grin that spread across his face. He was a scientist first and foremost, but he was also a nerd who loved sci fi. And now that he had come to Night Vale, he could be both of those at the same time.

“Morning,” greeted a very familiar, smooth voice.

Carlos started slightly and turned to see Cecil Palmer standing a few feet away, smiling at him with two to-go coffees in his hand.

“How did you...” he trailed off, as he eagerly accepted the offered coffee.

“I was out jogging and saw you sitting out here. Looks like you've been here all night, so I thought maybe you would like some coffee...” Cecil replied, suddenly seeming unlike his normal straightforward self. He ducked his head somewhat shyly, pale blonde hair falling across his lavender eyes as he studied his worn running shoes.

Carlos took a sip of his coffee (black, two sugars – perfection), and gave the radio host a once over. Okay, so maybe he glanced more than _once_. Cecil was wearing running shorts – the short-shorts kind. And while Cecil wasn't necessarily thin or heavy, looking at his legs made Carlos' stomach dip in a very non-scientific way.

Carlos forced his eyes away from the other man. “Um...would you like to join me?” he asked, trying his best not to stutter as he gestured towards the space on the blanket next to him.

“Sure!” replied Cecil, grinning one of his brilliant grins that made Carlos a little weak in the knees. He settled down next to the drowsy scientist. “So what kept you out last night?” the radio host inquired between sips of super-sugary, cream-loaded coffee. He paused and frowned. “You probably shouldn't be out at night like that....”

“But the stars!” protested Carlos. “Didn't you see them last night?”

Cecil let out a snort. “I don't pay much attention to them anyway. It's not like they're any more _real_ than the moon. Tricky points of non-existent light...” he muttered.

Carlos let out a loud laugh, that quickly died away at Cecil's nonplussed violet gaze. “Er....thought that was a joke...”he mumbled apologetically. “Um...anyway, the constellations were all wrong last night...”

“See!” interrupted Cecil. “If they were real, would they do something like that? And if they are real, that just means they're jerks. Rearranging themselves like that in some sort of cosmic joke...stupid stars....”

Carlos chuckled nervously. Now that Cecil put it that way, he could kind of see the other man's point in an existential-horror sort of way. “Anyway...do you jog often?” Carlos asked, desperate to steer the conversation into a more normal vein, if there was such a thing as a normal conversation in Night Vale. He had had a whole conversation of the non-existence of time with Cecil. Were all of their talks going to be this strange?

But from there, things seemed to smooth out. They moved from jogging to their respective jobs and onto the City Council's latest mandates. Despite the strong coffee, the warming air and the sleepless night were beginning to effect Carlos. And Cecil's voice was really nice to listen to. Carlos felt himself seeming to drift in it's steady cadence. He was definitely getting too old for all-nighters.

“You have a pretty voice,” he slurred, his head feeling fuzzy.

Cecil stopped mid-sentence and stared at the scientist. Suddenly, Carlos felt wide-awake, dread bubbling up inside of his stomach. But then Cecil broke out into a shining smile.

“Aw! That is so sweet! Thank you!” he said, and before Carlos could respond, he leaned in and gave him a pop-kiss on the cheek.

Carlos was definitely awake now. He opened and closed his mouth rapidly, most likely looking like a fish out of water, but Cecil was already standing to his feet. “I better get back to my place and shower. Station Management will be miffed if I'm late again.” Cecil paused to suppress a shudder. “Anyway, hope to see you again soon Carlos.” He gave a small wave and began walking back down the alley towards the main street.

“Bye!” Carlos called hastily, as his mind finally clicked into gear and he remembered how to speak. Cecil glanced over his shoulder and gave the scientist a flirtatious wink, and then turned the corner and was gone.

Carlos stared at the place Cecil had been a moment ago. He felt his hand drift up to his face, and he lightly ran his finger against the spot Cecil had kissed.

He started to his feet and began quickly packing up his telescope and his notes. He might as well get a head start on typing up his observations before the rest of the team got in. Yes, the observations about the stars, not a certain radio host's warm lips.


End file.
